Here is one secret about New York City: don’t be misled by the user interface, because content is king. In the various stories on this website, I have written of many individuals who have surprised and often awed me once I spoke to them and learned about them. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” has become my modus operandi and not just a hackneyed cliché.

This extends beyond the skin of people. Institutions, businesses, etc. all have to be approached the same way – look below the surface, if that is where value is to be found. If you prefer the comfort of a Cadillac or plush carpeting, then New York City is probably not your place unless you have lots of money to provide the cushioning and insulation.

In spite of this, one of the last places where an individual wants to overlook appearances is a hospital. This is a place which provides some of the most important services for the human condition, many of which are life-saving. When it comes to medical treatment, having competent doctors is what really matters – window dressing does not make up for malpractice. But being in a hospital which is showing signs of wear or is dirty or disorganized is not going to help a patient’s confidence.

I recently visited the Gouverneur Hospital walk-in clinic in lower Manhattan with a friend who had previously been there. The walk itself through an impoverished neighborhood was preparatory. The situation in the clinic was relatively under control – an hour’s wait to see a doctor was to be expected in a walk-in clinic with no appointment on a Sunday afternoon. However, I imagine that those arriving while the front desk was unattended with an “Out to Lunch” sign would not find it heartening, nor would they be assured by the very small cockroach crossing the floor of the waiting room – I believe I was not the only one who noticed it.

The physician himself was good and, in spite of an overloaded waiting room, did not make us feel rushed, taking the time that was needed. He mentioned that he was moonlighting at Gouverneur and that his regular workplace was New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side. I commented that Cornell was like a country club by comparison. He agreed and we both laughed, knowing full well that appearances in a hospital in this city are not a reliable barometer for the medical expertise. In a way, we were both really acknowledging that in New York City, content is king…

Note: Note the “Out to Lunch” sign in the lower left.

(see Part 1 here)

Electricity is one of the fascinations of many young boys, along with fire, motors, cars, trains, and toy guns. But even a young person can easily intuit the special property of electricity. It can supply power and run things. In yesterday’s story, I told of my early shocking experience with electricity.

Recently, rather than playing with electrical outlets, I decided to take my interest in electricity to the very top of the power chain and visit the Consolidated Edison power generation plant at 14th Street between Avenues C and D. This behemoth dominates the entire immediate area and can be seen from across the East River in Brooklyn and Queens.
As may be expected, neighborhood residents have not been pleased with the presence of the power plant. There have been protests and allegations of pollution. A settlement was reached in 2002, with Con Edison agreeing to a transition from oil to natural gas.

Con Edison has only a small number of power-generating plants in the five boroughs of New York City. This one, in the East Village, provides the majority of electrical power for lower Manhattan. Although power is supplied from outside the city (New York State, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) due to power grid design constraints, 80% of the power requirements for New York City must be satisfied within city limits. Power consumption here is, of course, enormous; added to the typical needs of any populace, power also needs to be provided for the large number of elevators and the city’s extensive subway system.

Con Edison and New York City have a special legacy with electricity. On September 4, 1882, Thomas Edison opened his first central power-generating station at 257 Pearl Street. Only a few buildings were supplied with electricity (initially 59 customers), but the event demonstrated the viability of power generation and distribution.

The power we use and this Con Ed power plant are all daily reminders of our reliance on one of the world’s most critical resources. I know that Thomas Edison, like all inventors, had many trials and tribulations, but at least he didn’t start with with his father’s keys in an electrical outlet 🙂

Related Post: Big Allis

I’ve never been in prison. I never want to be in prison. And I certainly don’t want to be in a New York City prison called the Tombs.
I visited the Tombs on Sunday at midday. Why I would do such a thing is a different story: I was in the neighborhood.

No one looked happy at the detention complex, and there is no way to give this place a happy spin. I spoke to several corrections officers – all polite – but I could sense an air of incredulousness of why I would be there on Sunday, taking photos and asking questions. Virtually every New Yorker has heard of the Tombs, but why would anyone really need to know exactly where or want to visit?  I had never seen the buildings and was curious. So after numerous inquiries (and incorrect directions), I finally arrived at 125 White Street, the home of New York City’s Manhattan Detention Complex, aka The Tombs.

Like many New Yorkers, I assumed that the colloquial name was given perhaps because the jail facilities are underground or some other grim reality. This is, in fact, not the case. The complex was nicknamed the Tombs after its first structure, built in 1838, designed by John Haviland and based on an Egyptian mausoleum. This complex occupied a full city block and was called the New York Halls of Justice and House of Detention.

The Tombs has gone through several incarnations: the original from 1838 was replaced with a new building in 1902 and connected to the neighboring Criminal Courts Building by the Bridge of Sighs. That building was replaced in 1941, and in 1974, due to health and security problems, part of the building was taken down and replaced with a new structure. The current complex consists of two buildings connected by a pedestrian bridge: the North Tower from 1990 with 500 beds (seen in the photo) and the South Tower which incorporates part of the original 1941 building.

The various warnings to visitors posted on the entrances made clear the harsh realities and no-nonsense atmosphere inside:

POSSESSION
OF
CONTRABAND
(WEAPONS)
RAZORS KNIVES SHANKS SHIVS BULLETS
And any other weapon capable of causing injury and/or
otherwise endangering the safety of the institution
WILL RESULT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE
ARREST

Other prohibitions include chewing gum, electronic devices, camera, mirrors, aluminum foil, pencil sharpeners, glass, and mace. I got the message, loud and clear.

Many believed, as I did, that this is strictly a detention center, housing those arrested until arraignment. However, I was told that many are here for months or years and that this complex operates as a prison.
My advice to residents and visitors: stay on the outside…

Note: As one might expect, services for those apprehended were next door on Baxter Street. I found it interesting that sandwiched between three bail bondsmen and a law office was a whiskey tavern. See photos here.